Did you ever think that a minor injury from when you fall off from a bicycle can turn into a severe problem? No?

Go on and read about this.

What Are Keloids?

In simplest terms, after an injury heals - sometimes a scar or a mark remains on our skin. This scar is referred to as a Keloid in medical conditions.

Sometimes, it increases in size over time whereas, at other times, it stays as it is.Their texture might change over time too, from getting rougher and darker to smoother, varying as per the situation.

Their shape also varies, as in they are irregularly shaped. Regarding color, they differ from red to dark brown or pink color depending on the person’s natural skin color.

They often develop above the skin. In the worst cases, they also affect the skin movement. Keloids are not contagious, i.e., they don’t spread just by the contact of the affected person.

Scientifically, they are also known as Keloid Disorder or Keloidal Scars. When the granulation tissue overgrows at the area where an injury has happened, which is now healed, they are known as Keloids.

One must not confuse Keloids with ‘Hypertrophic Scars’; similar to Keloids they also develop on a healed scar.

However, they are bounded in the region of the original injury, unlike Keloids which can also outgrow the original wounded area.

Also, the growth rate of Hypertrophic Scars is too high in the initial six months as compared to the Keloids which often take years to develop.

Hypertrophic Scars appear on the high tension areas in the body like shoulders, knees, ankles and neck whereas Keloids often develop on the areas like earlobes, chest, cheeks and upper arms.

Additionally, once surgically removed, there are fair chances that a Keloid might resurface. However, this would never happen with a Hypertrophic Scar.

Causes Of Keloids

They are caused biologically due to the production of specific proteins and growth constituents by the body.

During the wound healing process, when fibroblasts (a type of a cell) secrete a vast amount of collagen (a type of protein that structurally supports the wound), higher than what is required for the healing process, Keloids develop.

Following types of skin problems or injuries may lead to Keloidal Scars –

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​Ear or Body Piercing

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Scratches

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Vaccination Spots

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Acne Blemishes

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Burn Spots

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Chickenpox Marks

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Surgical Cuts

At least 10 percent of the people having injuries are prone to developing Keloidal Scars.

However, people with dark complexion are more vulnerable to it, such as people belonging to the African-American region. Men and women are equally likely to be affected by it.

Other contributing factors to the development of Keloids are:

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Being pregnant

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Belonging to the age group of 10-30 years

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Coming from areas such as Africa, America & Asia

Genetically, people belonging to African-American & Sub-Saharan regions have a history of having been affected with Keloidal Disorders from the past generations itself. Identical twins on developing the Keloidal Scars simultaneously, also indicate the existence of Keloids genetically.

Symptoms Of Keloids

Generally, Keloids develop on the site of an injury. The color varies from pink to dark brown or red, also depends on the skin color of the affected person. Concerning the texture, some are smooth while some are rough and modular.

When exposed to the sun, they may develop tanning from the surrounding areas.

Following are the symptoms:

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Itchiness

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Redness of the skin

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Pain

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Tenderness

The symptoms may aggravate if the clothing is not right.

​​Treatment Of Keloids

Even though sometimes Keloids are nothing more than an unpleasant skin defect, it is always advisable to opt for medical treatment if the growth of the scar continues. In the worst cases, they may turn into Skin Cancer.

Even though there’s no 100% reliable solution to Keloidal Scars, along with surgery, the following are the treatment options to cure Keloids: -

Tretinoin Cream

Doctor commonly prescribe this cream to apply on the affected area. It is also used in Acne treatment. It accelerates the cells turnover rate of the skin. This cream has a scientifically proven history of effectively reducing and improving the appearance of the Keloids.

Cryotherapy

The tissues of the Keloidal Scars are temporarily frozen with a handheld device. After a significant number of therapies (the amount varies depending upon the nature of Keloids), the size of the Keloids effectively reduce.

However, this mode of treatment has been proven successful only in the cases when the Keloids are less than three years old.

However useful as it may seem, the therapy is a painful procedure to go through with.

Steroid Injections

Till date, this is one of the most successful modes of treatment for Keloids. When used in combination with Cryotherapy, these injections prove highly effective in reducing the size of the Scar. However, this treatment is more apt for treating newer Keloids.

Radiotherapy

Comparatively new to Keloidal treatment, this method is showing a positive outcome. The Keloids are surgically cut from the body, followed by which the patient goes through this therapy.

The success rate is tremendous in this mode. However, it is way too costly for middle-class people.

Imiquimod Cream

This cream has a history of successful Keloid healing even initial stages of skin cancer. This has to be applied after the Keloid has been removed.

This cream significantly reduces the chances of Keloids to come back.

Although these are some of the medically proven ways to treat Keloids, scientists are still working on other cheaper and more affordable treatment options.

Home Remedies To Treat Keloids Naturally

Home remedies have never been proven 100% effective to get rid of Keloids. Still, there’s no harm in trying. If not wholly abolish, home remedies do contribute to reducing the size of the Keloids.

Silicone Sheeting

Applying the Silicone gel can shrink the Keloidal Scar to a great extent not only the product is clinically tested and tried but also there are just no side effects.

Heavy Skin Cream

Skin Creams or lotions that have ‘Lanolin’ or ‘Petrolatum’ as ingredients have proved to enhance the appearance of the Keloidal Scar.However, creams that have ‘Onion’ or ‘Vitamin E’ as constituents should not be used.

Ear Keloid Treatment At Home

Developing a Keloid on Ears is not only painful and irritating, but it is also equally deteriorating to the beauty.

Usually, they grow after getting the ears pierced. Surgery can remove them. However, after the surgery, doctors may advise wearing a ‘Pressure Earring’.

They put uniform pressure on all parts of the ear which prevent Keloids to reappear after the surgery.

However, wearing pressure earrings is a very uncomfortable and tedious task. The patients are supposed to be wearing it for almost 16 hours a day for around 12-18 months post-surgery.

​Keloid Scars Natural Treatment

Below are some effective home remedies that may naturally make the Keloid go away:

Honey – It is the most effective solution for glowing skin. Not only does it have antimicrobial properties and anti-inflammatory properties, but it also fights infections in skin injuries. It should be applied on the scar at least twice a day.

Onion – Due to the ‘Quercitin’ component found in Onions, they have proven successful in treating Keloid Scars. They also have antioxidants and anti-inflammatory effects, when applied to a wound. It not only treats Keloid Scars, but it also prevents them from occurring. Onion gel should regularly be used to clean skin.

Crushed Garlic – Crushed Garlic when applied to Keloids, treat them in a way similar to the conventional medical treatments. However, they may cause a little irritation and itching.

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Other Scar Minimizers – Green tea, Apple cider vinegar, etc. are other home remedies which can treat Keloid Scars.

Keloids On Chest

Keloids develop from healed wounds. They might grow on the chests also. They are no different from the Keloids that form on other body parts.

However since they are always covered, they might aggravate if the clothing is not right. On the brighter side, they are safe as they are not exposed to harmful radiations of the sun.

There have been various cases of successful treatment of the Chest Keloids.

Can Tattoos Turn Into Keloids?

Even though there is no successful history which proves that Tattoos always turn into Keloids, however, doctors always advise that you should refrain from getting yourself inked when having such problems.

How To Prevent Keloids?

Although the development of Keloids is entirely a natural and medical process, there’s a little we can do about it.

However, it is always advisable to take a little precaution in the treatment of the wounds. One should still apply antiseptics on the injuries to prevent any unwanted infection.

One should also refrain from unwanted cosmetic surgeries. It is always advisable to consult a doctor when even the slightest symptoms of Keloids develop.

​Conclusion

Although there are no adverse effects of the Keloids and not many people need Keloids pain relief, apart from the worst case scenario, it just deteriorates the natural beauty of the human body.

No one would like a lump on their skin, as it not only reduces their confidence but also causes problems like irritation and itching.

Also, as they say, ‘Prevention is better than cure’, it is always advisable to consult a doctor in case of a problem. It is also essential to take care of the wounds and the way they are treated.